{"id":14187,"date":"2016-07-15T09:00:45","date_gmt":"2016-07-15T07:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/en\/?p=14187"},"modified":"2017-02-21T08:59:06","modified_gmt":"2017-02-21T07:59:06","slug":"seat-ateca-un-suv-famiglia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/en\/2016\/07\/seat-ateca-un-suv-famiglia\/","title":{"rendered":"SEAT ATECA, A SUV IN THE FAMILY"},"content":{"rendered":"

These are very busy times for the Seat factory in Martorell near Barcelona. The Ateca<\/a>, the Spanish brand\u2019s first Suv, is just the first in a spate of new models to be released in quick succession \u2013 three over the next 18 months \u2013 putting the final pieces into place of Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos\u2019 courageous and successful new design philosophy, which first appeared in 2012 with the Le\u00f3n<\/a> and should finally be complete in 2019 with the arrival of a premium SUV derived from the captivating 20V20 concept presented last year. \u201cThe Ateca \u2013 explains Mesonero-Romanos \u2013 illustrates the systematic evolution of our design language. Our design is sculptural and charged with tension, and defined with precision and quality in every detail.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cIt is a crucial challenge\u201d, says Seat CEO Luca de Meo. \u201cThe Ateca \u2013 explains Mesonero-Romanos \u2013 already contains many elements of the 20V20 concept, such as the bonnet, just to give an example. The next page in the chapter, coming in a year, will be a completely new car \u2013 not a SUV – taking us a step further in the path towards a very bold evolution in design.\u201d Seat has a linear strategy: \u201cAfter a period of consolidation, taking us to 2019-20, there will be a second phase of very significant evolution, followed by a third phase in which we\u2019ll be able to do very different things and reap the rewards of what we\u2019re doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The Ateca inherits elements from the brand\u2019s iconic model, the Le\u00f3n, such as the trapezoid grille, the lateral blister with tightly radiused curves, the extremely precise lines and the triangular lights – in short, all the features creating the family feeling. On top of this is the Suv factor, with generous, powerful proportions which, according to its designers, convey solidity and reliability, as do the slightly squared arches and 19\u201d wheels.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The idea for the exterior came from Christian Felske: \u201cWe really liked the design \u2013 says Mesonero-Romanos \u2013 because it had elegance, few lines and was well structured and proportioned\u201d. After pencil and paper sketches and a great deal of virtual work, six 1:4 scale models were built, followed by three full scale clay mock-ups. Launched in 2012, the Ateca programme was developed by Mesonero-Romanos\u2019s entire team, with Joaquin Garcia on the exterior, Jaume Salas on the interior and Jordi Font on C&T.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cThe Ateca \u2013 explains Seat\u2019s design chief \u2013 has a very intuitive appearance, like the muscles of the human body, so the surfacing has very strong accents, embodying the typical squared cues of SUV\u2019s despite measuring just 4.36 metres in length (it is based on the MQBA platform). It has a rational side, too, derived from adapting the style of the Le\u00f3n to an SUV. So the lines are progressive and soft, but with the muscles emphasised in much more structured and much straighter surfacing, which also accentuates the difference between the SUV and a hatchback. The family look is the same, but with two different interpretations.\u201d This is a well designed car, with no unnecessary artifice to ruin its looks.<\/p>\n

Full article in Auto&Design no. 219<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

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